Labour councils accused of 'cutting the voluntary sector'

Greg Clark to Caroline Flint: 'You have been absolutely silent on this matter.'

Labour councils have been accused of making "disproportionate cuts" to voluntary groups and charities.

Communities Minister Greg Clark said Labour councillors were "taking their cuts out on the voluntary sector" and urged party frontbenchers to criticise their actions.

His remarks came during Commons question time after shadow communities secretary Caroline Flint hit out at the coalition's "front-loaded cuts" to councils.

Ms Flint said: "We all know that local councils are the largest provider of public funding to the voluntary sector - something that has grown over the last 10 years, particularly the partnerships that operate so successfully up and down the country.

"What is your department's estimate of the number of jobs that would be lost in the voluntary sector as a result of the front-loaded cuts imposed on councils?"

Mr Clark replied: "Can I welcome you to this debate. I thought that your silence on matters concerning the voluntary sector might be terminal.

"We have been very clear on this side of the House that councils should not cut disproportionately.

"You have been absolutely silent, as have your front bench colleagues, on Labour councils who are taking their cuts out on the voluntary sector."

Ms Flint pointed out that 88 senior Liberal Democrat councillors had raised concerns over the pace of the Government's spending cuts and she claimed some Conservative councillors were also worried.

"Labour has always celebrated the partnership between local government and the voluntary sector," she said.

"Under a Labour administration, we saw those partnerships grow, we saw local voluntary groups taking over some of the services that councils had traditionally run."

Mr Clark said: "I wish you were more vocal in what you say to the Labour councils that are making these disproportionate cuts up and down the country.

"Because the fact is that through the policies of the last government, they're having to make these cuts because they left a legacy that was completely unsustainable, when we're spending on interest in debt almost twice what the council tax raises."

Communities and Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles claimed Labour-run councils were cutting frontline services as a first option in their effort to reduce costs.

Labour's Heidi Alexander (Lewisham E) complained about cuts at Lewisham Council in south east London, but Mr Pickles told her the authority had £58 million in reserves.

"It is about time ladies and gentlemen opposite woke up, accepted their responsibility for the financial state of the nation ... and it is their councils that are cutting back greater than Conservative councils," he said.

In a further attack on Labour, he said Liberal Democrat and Conservative authorities "are protecting the front line" but "if they are Labour, the front line is the first one to go".